14 of the Best Queer Books Out in January 2026

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circles of the covers of queer books out in January 2026

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After the quiet of December, publishing has come back with a very exciting line-up of new queer books out in January! We have releases from big-name authors like Emily Austin and Julian Winters, as well as writers making their debuts. One trend I noticed this month is retellings: we have a gay Charlie and the Chocolate Factory romance, a queer retelling of a 12th-century werewolf story, an even-more-lesbian Mean Girls, and a queer YA retelling of The Great Gatsby. Let’s dive in!

Jackson Alone by Jose Ando, translated by Kalau Almony (January 6)

Jackson is a queer Black Japanese man working as a massage therapist at Athletius Japan corporate headquarters, where rumors abound about him—which only increase when a violent pornographic video depicting a Jackson lookalike surfaces. Soon, Jackson realizes he’s not the only one being targeted, and he teams up with three other queer mixed-race men to find out what’s happening and to get their revenge.

Is This a Cry for Help? by Emily Austin (January 13)

The author of Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead is back! Emily Austin’s newest novel is about Darcy, a librarian who seems to be living the dream: she and her wife run a bookbinding business and have a beautiful house by a lake—not to mention their two cats. But when she finds out her ex-boyfriend has died, Darcy has a breakdown and takes a leave from the library. When she returns, she finds that the library has transformed into a battleground, where book banners and anti-DEI protestors threaten to tear it apart.

George Falls Through Time by Ryan Collett (January 20)

After he’s laid off and he and his boyfriend break up, stressed-out George longs for a simpler life—and he gets it, waking up in the year 1300. But of course, being away from cell phones doesn’t make for an anxiety-free existence. Living in medieval times is rough. Luckily, a servant named Simon helps guide him through how to live in this historical context, but when the king summons George, his new life seems likely to come to a violent end.

You’ll Never Forget Me by Isha Raya (January 13)

Killing Eve fans, take note. This is a sapphic cat-and-mouse thriller about an actress, Dimple, who accidentally killed her rival, Irene, at a party. Years later, she has put it behind her and is enjoying her newfound success with Irene out of the way. But Irene’s parents have hired a private investigator, Saffi, who invites Dimple to help her on the case. Dimple knows Saffi suspects her, but she plays along, and the two of them keep raising the stakes. Dimple needs Saffi dead, and Saffi needs Dimple behind bars—which makes the sparks flying between them even more dangerous.

One Week to Win the Chocolate Maker by Timothy Janovsky (January 17)

Who had “gay Charlie and the Chocolate Factory romance retelling” on their 2026 bingo card? Dario runs his family’s chocolate factory, but if he’s not married by the time he’s 32, he’ll lose it to his unreliable younger brother. Dario is agoraphobic, which makes meeting people difficult. The solution? A competition, of course: five contestants from around the world will visit his Italian villa to win his heart. Charlie is one such contestant, and marrying the heir to a fortune would save his family from their home being foreclosed on. Lucky for him, the chemistry between Dario and Charlie is instant.

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters (January 27)

Julian Winters is well known for both his queer YA books, like Running with Lions, and his adult M/M romances, like I Think They Love You. In this second-chance adult M/M romcom, Jordan is planning a high-profile wedding when he discovers the man of honor is Jamie, the guy who broke his heart as a teen. Despite his best efforts—and the fact that he’s still questioning his identity and labels—Jordan can’t stay away, and soon their verbal sparring turns into hook-ups. Early reviews say this is a gorgeous love story with great demisexual representation!

Hemlock by Melissa Faliveno (January 20)

Have I mentioned how much I’ve been loving the recent influx of queer gothic novels? Sam finally has her life together. She’s sober, she has a long-term boyfriend, and she even has a cat with him. But when she returns to her family’s cabin in Hemlock, things start to unravel. The woods press in on her, and she turns to something reliable to drown out its influence: a beer. From there, she begins to lose touch with reality. This book description sold me with the line “Hemlock is a butch Black Swan.”

City of Others by Jared Poon (January 13)

Benjamin Toh works for the Division for Engagement of Unusual Stakeholders in Singapore, overseeing the city’s supernatural inhabitants and keeping things running smoothly. When parts of the city begin to disappear, he’ll have to rely on his coworkers to get to the bottom of it while there’s still anything left to save. This promises to be a “charming urban fantasy full of workplace found family, queer romance, and supernatural creatures straight out of Southeast Asian lore.”

How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by Jessie Sylva (January 20)

If you’re a cozy fantasy fan, like I am, you need to add this one to your TBR. It follows a goblin and a halfling who both say they have inherited the same cabin. They make a deal: they’ll share it for now, and the first person to move out forfeits their claim. But, of course, they begin to fall in love. Then, an intruder threatens both the goblins and halflings, and they’ll have to find a way to bring both their communities together to fight back the threat. It’s a cozy fantasy romance with a nonbinary main character! This looks like such a cute read.

To Ride a Rising Storm (Nampeshiweisit #2) by Moniquill Blackgoose (January 27)

The sequel to Nampeshiweisit book one, To Shape a Dragon’s Breath, is finally here! If you haven’t picked up this bisexual, polyamorous, Indigenous dragon-riding fantasy series yet, start with book one. Book two takes place in the summer after Anequs’s first year at the academy. When she returns home, she finds an unwelcome surprise: thanks to the attention she and her dragon have been getting, there’s now an Anglish presence in Masquapaug for the first time. As she and the rest of Masquapaug fight for their right to self-governance, they risk starting a civil war.

The Wolf and His King by Finn Longman (January 27)

This is a queer retelling of a 12th-century werewolf story, which was enough to pique my interest. It’s also getting the full romantasy book treatment, with stencilled edges, a foil-stamped hardcover, and illustrated endpapers. Since getting wolf sickness, Bisclavret has spent his life in hiding, not wanting to risk being around other people when he unexpectedly transforms. But there’s a new king now, and Bisclavret is required to give his kiss of fealty. The young king is fascinated by Bisclavret, and “the king’s longings are not for counsel alone,” but Bisclavret guards his secrets carefully.

Freddie and Stella Got Hot by Maggie Horne (January 27)

I think I only need a few words to pitch this one: an even more lesbian Mean Girls. Freddie, Stella, and Levi used to be best friends—until Levi abandoned them to be one of the popular girls. But Freddie and Stella have a plan to get their revenge. They’ll become cool girls themselves and win the Beaumont-Gardiner Award Levi wants so badly. But as they rise in the high school pecking order, Freddie realizes that the power has gotten to Stella’s head, and her personality has completely transformed. Freddie has created a monster. And she’ll need Levi’s help to fix the mess Freddie created.

The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay by Ryan Douglass (January 27)

I have one more retelling for you! As you could probably guess, this is a Great Gatsby retelling. It takes place in Harlem at the West Egg Academy. When 17-year-old Nick arrives at West Egg, he discovers it is not as integrated as it claims to be, and he faces a lot of racism. Making things more complicated, he begins to fall for the founder’s son, Jay Gatsby Jr. When Nick writes a cutting article that exposes the truth about West Egg, he and Jay will have to decide how much they’re willing to risk to expose the rot at this school.

Ace of Hearts: Lessons in Love from an Asexual Girl by Cooklin (January 6)

This coming-of-age graphic memoir follows Caitlin as she tries to fit into expectations not made with her in mind. As a teenager, she followed the recipe for social success she saw on TV: two best friends, two enemies, and a boyfriend. But whenever she experimented with sex, she felt bored. From purity culture to expectations around hookups in college, Caitlin navigates messaging around sexuality until she finds the label that makes sense for her: asexual.